By the final deadline in February, more than 800 undergraduates had applied—and 372 had been selected—to participate in DukeEngage group programs and projects in the US and abroad.

Then COVID-19 happened.

When we received confirmation on March 30 that Duke-sponsored programs involving travel were cancelled, the DukeEngage team pivoted quickly. Working in concert with program leaders and community partners, we were able to offer virtual experiences for 106 students—giving them the chance to collaborate remotely with communities and organizations to address pressing, and in some cases emerging, social issues.

Numbers | pre-CoVID

numbers | Post-CoVID

REIMAGINING TRAINING

For 2020 (and even before COVID), DukeEngage reimagined the Fortin Foundation DukeEngage Academy to provide more and varied opportunities for students to understand what it means to do DukeEngage.

Instead of an immersive two-day experience in May, DukeEngage participants attended four two-hour workshops during the spring semester. Workshops were led by DukeEngage alumni selected from a pool of applicants based on their experience, insight, and enthusiasm, as well as staff experts. Pairing experienced alumni with soon-to-be DukeEngagers allowed for frank conversation on difficult topics, such as the implications of short-term service, culture shock, health and wellness, and the ethics of engagement.

After March, all training, including three mandatory group meetings, became virtual. Unfortunately, we were unable to host the inaugural Fortin Foundation DukeEngage Convocation—a time planned for the entire DukeEngage community to come together to share stories and celebrate the summer to come. However, DukeEngage is hosting its first-ever Fortin Foundation Student Symposium virtually, an exclusive opportunity to hear from three community engagement professionals (and Duke alumni!) about finding and forging purpose. Watch a recording of the session here!

virtual dukeengage

From Sustainable Development to Paraguay Post-COVID

When Christine Folch, assistant professor of cultural anthropology, and Luana Lima, visiting assistant professor of energy and environment, proposed a new joint DukeEngage program in Brazil and Paraguay, they saw a way to combine their academic expertise, research agendas, and passion for cultural immersion.

As conceived, the project would bring together two groups of students—one in Brazil and one in Paraguay—to make recommendations regarding the Itaipu Dam, the world’s second-largest operational hydroelectric power plant. The dam, and the renewable energy it produces, is jointly owned by the two nations thanks to a treaty established in 1973. But the treaty expires in 2023. During their eight-week program, the DukeEngage teams would partner with local educational institutions and researchers to understand how the treaty’s renegotiation could advance sustainable development in both countries and then enact a live model of the renegotiation, representing both parties.

When in-person DukeEngage programs were cancelled, Folch and her partners in Paraguay pivoted to a virtual project focused on post-pandemic recovery. Six DukeEngage students opted in, working remotely to analyze COVID-19 impact and response throughout Latin America and to develop proposals focused on social, political, and economic sustainability. Although the students weren’t onsite this summer, Folch still encouraged the cultural immersion and community connection that is a signature part of the DukeEngage experience.

“When working remotely, it can be easy to focus on statistics that convey the shortcomings of a community. Without faces, names, stories, and experiences, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. I’m so grateful to our director for making a big effort to connect us more to the community. Much of our research has been in the form of Zoom interviews with incredible Paraguayans in various disciplines and professions. Hearing their stories and putting faces to these statistics is an important part of centering our work on the community.” – Cecilia de la Guardia ’23

As a final project, participants created a website and report, Paraguay Post-Pandemic: A Roadmap, which outlines lessons from the crisis and makes recommendations on developing resiliency in digital infrastructure, education, health, and economy—including building two $80M teaching hospitals in the under-served interior of the country, investing in hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing, and expanding the national credit union.

The group also shared their findings in a Facebook Live event hosted jointly with research partner Universidad Comunera. The presentation had 1000+ views and was featured on the national news in Paraguay. “This has been a tremendous experience for us as a team and it’s gratifying to see it already have traction in Paraguay,” Folch said.

Tackling the Toughest Issues

From healthcare inequities to systemic racism, COVID-19 put a spotlight on some of the world’s pressing issues. DukeEngage students met the moment by putting their skills and passion to work on projects that addressed coronavirus response, criminal justice reform, and voter education.

Four students from the Brodhead DukeEngage-Durham program—Will Brodner ’21, Michael Cao ’23, Cidian Edwards ’21, and Ali Hurst ’22—worked on multiple projects for the Criminal Justice Resource Center, a department of the Durham (NC) County Government that provides community-based programs for justice-involved adults. Cidian researched regional substance-use treatment programs to ensure that Durham’s program operated as efficiently as possible. Will reviewed and made recommendations on criteria used to assess whether individuals qualify for early release from the Durham County Detention Facility. Michael and Ali interviewed reentry councils across the nation to create a comprehensive reentry initiative for the CJRC.

Brooke Bowen ’22 worked with WeVote, a nonpartisan startup that compiles election data into an accessible and convenient format to help educate voters and increase turnout. Brooke worked with WeVote’s Political Data team to organize 2020 endorsements into user-friendly voter guides for local, state, and national elections.

Camryn Thompson ’21 worked with the COVID-19 Health Literacy Project and the National Student Response Network, affiliated programs launched by Harvard medical students (including Duke alumna Sam Sadler ’19) to support coronavirus response efforts. The COVID-19 Health Literacy Project creates and translates COVID-19 fact sheets into 30+ languages for distribution at more than 35 universities, hospitals, and governmental agencies. The National Student Response Network recruits healthcare volunteers and works with hospitals across the US to identify where assistance is needed. Camryn served as a strategy coordinator, using social media and other tools to disseminate information and engage volunteers, partners, and potential funders for the projects.

Hometown Heroes

The switch to virtual work had an unanticipated outcome: many DukeEngage participants chose to work remotely with nonprofits in their hometowns. This allowed DukeEngage to build relationships with dozens of new community partners, while also helping students become more engaged with issues in their communities.

Butare, Rwanda to Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Jack Glusman ’23 planned to work with Kuzamura Ubuzima (Growing Health), an organization in Rwanda that provides farm-grown meals to hospitalized patients to combat malnutrition and improve health outcomes. Instead, he worked remotely with the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit that provides short-term, low-interest loans to Milwaukee and Waukesha businesses. Jack rebuilt MEDC’s website and worked on the Milwaukee Smart Restart Grant, a partnership between the city and MEDC to help local businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Monteverde, Costa Rica to Elyria, Ohio

Instead of nurturing her passion for conservation in Costa Rica’s Bellbird Biological Corridor, Sara Liszeski ’23 discovered a new love for data visualization in her hometown of Elyria, Ohio. Through her virtual DukeEngage independent project, she spent the summer working with Lorain County Public Health Department on a variety of health-related initiatives, from smoking cessation presentations to Gen Z outreach. But her main project was summarizing community data and demographics into ‘at-a-glance’ reports.

Tucson, Arizona to charlotte, North Carolina

Camila Saavedra ’22 was to still able to explore migration issues through her virtual DukeEngage independent project, just a little closer to home than expected. Instead of spending eight weeks near the US/Mexico border with DukeEngage-Tucson, Camila worked with the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool and the Latin American Coalition, two nonprofits that support North Carolina’s Latinx community. Her projects included connecting families in need with food pantries and meal providers, developing virtual workshops on educational and healthcare resources, and distributing donated computers so students could continue learning remotely during COVID-19.

Muhuru Bay, Kenya to Cheshire, Connecticut

Annie Wang ’22 switched from a DukeEngage group program (Kenya-WISER) to a virtual independent project with Cheshire Public Schools—her local school district growing up. Annie’s main project was forming a diversity and equity committee. She also developed curricula for the English and History departments related to equity, multicultural education, social-emotional learning, and anti-racist education.

SURVEY takeaways

Each summer, DukeEngage surveys participants before and after their experience. Why did they apply to DukeEngage? They wanted to be involved in work that makes a difference; they wanted to advocate for important issues; and they wanted to develop a broader sense of purpose. Here's a little bit more about them: